dmksioux

So what your saying is it doesn't matter and has nothing to do with your tribe, then why are the Councils so adamant about ending the name? It may be divisive because a minority of people of the two tribes are making it divisive. As far as it not having a cultural impact, my opinion is that it does and that it could have more. An example is when enrolled members of the tribe do a dance prior to an athletic event. This is something that exposes fans, both home and visitors, to the Native American culture that they may not have been aware of before. Maybe it sparks someone's interest to learn more about the Sioux Culture, maybe it doesn't. Has UND and the Sioux Tribes taken advantage of exposing the Sioux Culture in a positive aspect? Depending on who ask you will get a variety of answers. Could UND do more to work with the Tribes to explore the possibilities? Certainly. The issue is divisive because certain people have agendas and don't even want to come to the table to explore opportunities before making a decision on whether the name is good or not. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that according to public opinion on the reservations, there seems to be consensus that the Nickname is supported. Why wouldn't the tribal councils want to at least come to the table and talk about opportunities keeping the name may provide for the tribe (and I'm not necessarily referring to "Buying off the Tribe"). If the two sides at least act like adults and attempt some dialogue and ultimately can't come to a compromise, then fine drop the name. Why is Ron HHT so afraid to at least talk?

Actually I said one persons perception of being "competitive" and as others have since stated, we will now have the ability to play against more of our peer institutions. 10+ years ago...DII was still an ok place to be not so much since then...

I guess it depends on a person's definition of competitive. I feel UND will eventually have the ability to consistently challenge for Summit League Championships year in and year out. In doing so they will qualify for NCAA post season tournaments. Will they win many DI championships...not likely. My preference is that UND is competing with the best that college athletics has to offer. Occasionally we will win a big game, make the dance, possibly win a few game in a tournament, etc. In doing so, I feel we will get more recognition then we ever did at DII. DII was good situation 10+ years ago...but with the way every other one of our peer institutions was moving up, it was inevitable that we would have to as well. Do you really think UND alumni, students, and fans would like to see us continue playing the U Mary's, Sioux Falls College, Bemidji St. etc? Not only that, but the small schools have kept voting to lower scholarship levels for football so that they could compete. I also believe that South Dakota and North Dakota were the last two Flagship schools playing at the DII level. As far as being in the Summit...the league may not be one of the more highly regarded mid-major conferences right now. But hopefully if we are admitted, we play a part in strenghing the conference and adding to it's credibility. Both NDSU and SDSU have begun to strengthen that conference already. With the four Dakota Schools as the core of the conference hopefully it will evolve into something similar to the Old NCC...by which I mean a high mid-major conference. It won't happen over night, but I feel the conference has the capability of doing so.

I can see your point... However, If UND was/is not able to find a DI conference for all sports (The Great West is not a conference), both football and hockey would be affected. We saw how much traveling the "minor sports" had to do this year as well as the next couple of years...that adds up to some big dollars. The money made by football and hockey would have to help offset those other "minor" sports. Getting into a conference such as The Summit League will make our athletic department more financially stable and the revenue generating sports won't take as big of a hit to help support those "minor" sports.

Agreed! I love the Sioux name and always will, however this is a move that needed to be done. If we are unable to gain conference affiliation for the majority of our sports, then all of our sports will suffer...including hockey and football. Look at all the cuts being made to athletics at other college campuses around the country. I'm upset that it had to come to this, but it has. It's fine to let the anger out/blow off steam whatever but I have a difficult time understanding some of the bashing of the Summit Conference that is going on. In the end, this is the best possible conference for us to be a part of...It will save on travel costs, reestablish old rivals, make scheduling and recruiting easier which ultimately helps the whole athletic department. Why take out our anger on some who is "most likely" going to welcome us to their conference and assist us in making the transition?

As much as I love the Fighting Sioux logo and nickname, it is time to change it. UND needs conference affiliation more than it needs the nickname right now. Summit League affiliation allows UND to schedule old conference rivals, keeps travel costs down (which is huge with this economy), and allow the coaches in these sports a better opportunity to recruit. Some may say that there may be other conferences, but in all reality the Summit League is the best fit for us. Today is a sad day as the inevitable looks to be happening, but on the flip side, this should be the first step to gaining conference affiliation and stabalizing the athletic department for the future.

Haven't had the opportunity to play in the "Weed Wacker" yet...always seems to fall on a weekend that I'm busy. I have played in Haybale a few times and thats always a good time...

I have played and continue to play both. I realize that two person and six person indoor are basically two different games. I guess the point I was trying to make is that there is interest in sand volleyball... even in the frozen tundra of NoDak. I wouldn't necessarily classify it as a regional "niche" sport since volleyball, in general, is played most everywhere in the US.

Sand Volleyball may be regional, but indoor volleyball is played throughout the country. It wouldn't be too tough to transition from indoor to sand volleyball. I've played in sand volleyball leagues for a number of years here in GF and there is quite a bit of interest...I would guesstimate 80-100 females that are involved in the GF sand leagues each summer. Granted not many of the players are college caliber, but there have been a number of UND volleyball players that play in these leagues.

Myself and a few others are tentatively planning on heading to Lubbock for this game. Does anyone know when tix go on sale? Does UND have an allotment on tix and if so, how does one go about getting them?

If they were to travel to Forks, I would like to see them in 2011 as we only have three home games lined up so far. "Next year" (2010) we already have five home games lined up. Personally I don't think they will travel up here since they are/will be an FBS team in 2012 but who knows?

Not sure where USA would fall into the schedule. 2011 USA will count as an FCS school on opponents schedules. 2012 they will count as an FBS school. Typically FBS schools don't travel to FCS schools so I would think if UND scheduled them, it would be an away game. Since they are a start up program transitioning to FBS, perhaps they would travel to UND in 2011 and we would return a game in 2012. Hard to speculate...

I think Mplsbison is referring to Ryan Chappel. I don't know the answer about Chappel returning. There has been some speculation but I think it's just message board rumor. I don't believe he is participating in spring practices.

I agree that it is nice to see another FCS school on the home schedule! Don't know too much about Stony Brook but glad they are willing to come out to Nodak. Does anyone know if it's a part of a home and home agreement?

That means next years home schedule may be complete already. Not sure if they will have a sixth home game or not, but it's nice to see at least five...four of them being FCS schools (if you want to call Lamar an FCS school since it's their first year starting up their program).

What's your point here? Big A HG is not from North Dakota. Why does it matter whether or not he supports other schools in the State. If I went to school at the University of North Carolina and became a big fan of their basketball program, I would cheer them on and support them. If they did not make the NCAA tournament, but say another school from North Carolina does (such as Duke or NC State), do you think I'm going to cheer/support Duke/NC State because they are a school from the same state as the University of North Carolina? I could care less how other schools from North Carolina did in the tournament and in some cases (Duke) I would cheer against them because they are a rival. Personally, I am a North Dakota native, UND Grad, and UND fan. I was passively cheering for NDSU to win and make it to the tournament. I would even like to see them win a game or two. Not all UND fans feel the same way for various reasons...

According to a poster on AGS who is a Sam Houston Fan, NDSU paid them around $40,000 plus air fare plus a return game to get them to come to Fargo. Granted that was a couple of years ago and expenses have increased but I still think it's crazy that we needed to pay nearly $60,000 to get an NAIA school to come in...

Does anyone have any insight as to how much UND is offering potential teams to come to GF for open date on Potato Bowl? I would hope they are willing to spend a little money to try to get a quality opponent. It's been reported that we received a $25,000 buyout from Idaho State so. Combine that with the payday from the Texas Tech game and the profits from from a large Potato Bowl crowd, I would thin we have some cash to spend. I have no idea how scheduling works, but I am a little worried about the inability to schedule FCS opponents at home. Can anyone shed any light as to why scheduling is so difficult?

According to a poster on AGS there is a rumor that SHSU has scheduled a game against St. Joes of Indiana to fill their open slot on September 12th. Not looking good for a FCS opponent for Potato Bowl

Sorry I did not quote you as the source in my posting above mplsbison...

Either that or Portland St. I am preparing myself for another DII or possibly NAIA game however If it comes down to the fact we aren't able to get a FCS team to Forks for the 5th home game, I would like to see UND entertain the idea of only four home games if it results in a quality team signing a home and home in the future...such as SDSU did a few years back.

I should know better than to respond to this post, but I'm kinda bored today. The only way this game takes place is if it's played in Fargo. Having said that, I believe the only way it takes place in Fargo is if there are no other options for NDSU and the only remaining option for UND is another NAIA school at home. Even with that, I would bet against the game happening. Hopefully UND can throw some money at an FCS and we'll get another "quality" home game...

Yea I just have the basic cable package. I wasn't aware that the Big 10 Channel was a part of the basic service...

Can someone tell me when Midcontinent started carrying the Big Ten Network on channel 70 in GF? I stumbled across the Ohio St vs. Michigan St. hockey game last Friday.